Karma's family meets Shinde, demands security

The family of Congress leader Mahendra Karma, who was killed by Maoists in an attack in Chhattisgarh in May, on Friday said they continue to receive threats from the extremists who asked them to leave their ancestral place and demanded security.

Accompanied by Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh, Karma's wife Devki, son Deepak and three other sons, met home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and apprised him about the threats the family continues to receive from Naxals.

"We want security. The Naxals asked us to leave our ancestral place in Bastar and warned of dire consequences if we do not follow their diktat," Deepak told reporters after meeting the home minister.

Singh said the family has also given certain suggestions on how to tackle the Maoists problem, especially in Chhattisgarh.

Deepak said the home minister assured them that he would examine their demands sympathetically and do the needful as early as possible.

During the meeting, Union home secretary RK Singh and Director of Intelligence Bureau Asif Ibrahim were also present.

Former Chhattisgarh minister Mahendra Karma was killed along with 26 others when the Maoists attacked a convoy of Congress leaders in Bastar on May 25.